PICTURE SPECIAL: village communities coming together for Big Poppy Plant

Poppies have been planted in communities around the area as part of an initiative to commemorate the First World War centenary while increasing wildflower numbers.

People of all ages from 35 communities across Daventry District have been out in recent weeks planting poppy and wildflower seeds for the Big Poppy Plant.

Crick Pre-School

The project was set up by Daventry District Council (DDC) to commemorate 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War while improving the district’s biodiversity through planting poppies together with additional native species of wildflower.

In Crick, villagers sowed the seed mixture in their Jubilee Wood, a community venture to plant thousands of trees on former grazing land near the village.

Villager youngsters including children from Crick and Yelvertoft Primary Schools as well as Crick’s Youth Club, Pre-School, Cubs and Brownies groups all got involved in sowing the poppies during April.

Steve Lassman, of Crick Jubilee Wood, said: “The parish council asked if we could plant poppies to mark the centenary of the First World War. We assigned part of one field to do this and in March and April removed grass and created a series of 32 patches which have now been planted with the poppy and wildflower seed mixture supplied by DDC

“We wanted Crick Jubilee Wood to be a community venture so, just as we encouraged residents to take part in our tree planting, we wanted to involve local groups in sowing the poppy mixture.

“Over the next year we hope to make the site much more accessible to the public and to make it as easy as we can for people with mobility issues to come and enjoy the site. There is still plenty to do and we are always looking for volunteers to help us.”

Ian Vincent, Chief Executive of Daventry District Council, said: “Local residents of all ages have come together to take part in the Big Poppy Plant and have had a great deal of fun planting the seeds.

“This project is helping to enhance the biodiversity of the district as part of a wider plan to create new wildflower habitats for bees and insects and is also helping communities mark a landmark anniversary.”

For more information about the Big Poppy Plant project visit www.daventrydc.gov.uk/wildflowers